Saxon Switzerland experts
 

I have four days allocated for über-eastern Germany. I think I'll stay in Bad Schandau and visit Zittau, Bautzen, and Görlitz. I also think I'll rent a car for these four days. Should I stay in Bad Schandau for two days and do a day trip to two of the other three?

I'm kind of at a loss here. I don't know this part of Deutschland at all well.

Not going to the Basteii- a marquee attraction of SSwitzerland? You can take a boat or train there from BSchandau.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bast...HVzFCwUQsAQIIA


Bad Schandau has a lovely old tram running from it into forests.

Konigsburg is another cliff-top bastion that is very famous:
https://www.google.com/search?q=saxo...HYxdDpEQsAQIPA

So though those cities may be nice (never been to them) don't forget about these two stellar unique clifftop bastions.

Konigsburg is another cliff-top bastion that is very famous:>>

co-incidentally, some characters in Deutschland 83 were just eating Koenigsburger Klopsen - which are meatballs in a white sauce, apparently.

I agree about the Bastei but we made the mistake of walking up so we were exhausted by the time we got there.

> Konigsburg

Make that Königstein. :-)

Peg, we've talked about this a couple of times already. You never answered if you plan to visit these three towns each on one separate day or if you plan to visit two of them on one day. All of these towns are full day trips. There wouldn't be even one day left for the natural wonders of Saxon Switzerland, not to mention fortress Königstein and the beautiful old town of Pirna. Or castle Stolpen. Or castle and garden Weesenstein. Or a paddle steamer trip on the Elbe river.

Yes, Bad Schandau makes a good base, but only if you really plan to see some things in Saxon Switzerland. Otherwise stay in Bautzen, Görlitz or Zittau. Btw, near Zittau are the Zittau mountains (Zittauer Gebirge) with picturesque towns like Kurort Oybin, Kurort Jonsdorf, Grossschönau and Waltersdorf. And with beautiful mountain scenery also. And with a narrow-gauge steam train.

Too many things to see, too little time :-)

Sorry, if you have four days allocated this means one full day is left for Saxon Switzerland. At first I thought four nights.

Ann:

It is "Königsberger Klopse". Königsberg - Immanuel Kant's hometown - is now a part of Russia and called Kaliningrad. It is far away from Sachsen.

Königsberger Klopse are meatballs with anchovies in a rich white sauce with capers, cream and lemon juice. Really delicious, if well-made.

aha - thanks traveler. i was misled by the recipe I read that said that it's a Prussian speciality.

Ingo: I'm confused about what I should do. The main attraction for me is Saxon Switzerland. I assumed I could stay in Bad Schandau and go to Saxon Switzerland from there, then spend a day or half a day in the other towns.

Actually, I would like someone (like you, for instance) to plan this...ah...make suggestions...for me.

Prussian speciality: Yes, Königsberg once belonged Preussen (Prussia).

But Peg want to travel to Sachsen (Saxony).

The difference between Preussen and Sachsen is about the same as between England and Scotland.

Königsberg is the old capital of (East) Prussia, so sure, it is Prussian.
Königsberger Klopse are made from minced meat, a mix of pork and beef (no anchovies though). The sauce must contain capers and lemon juice and it has to be rather thin, more like a soup, and a lot of it - not that thick creamy stuff that restaurants usually serve. (My dad and grandma are Königsberg natives and Grandma knew and taught us the original recipe.)

I understand, Peg. Too many options :-)

If the main attraction is Saxon Switzerland, then I suggest you spend at least two full days there. Of the three other towns, drop one. It's hard but I think it doesn't make sense trying to see all three of them in this short time.

Bastei is a given, right? Accessible by bus or car. Fortress Königstein is another highlight, also accessible by car or bus. To get really close to the bizarre sandstone formations beyond Bad Schandau (Schrammsteine massif), you *must* walk a certain distance, let's say a half hour one way from Ostrau plateau (see your other Bad Schandau thread, I described this there.)

If you rent a car, you could drive to the plateaus on the opposite side of Bad Schandau proper to get to the flat-top mountains there. Between Papstdorf and Gohrisch is a parking, right in the saddle between the two mountains with the same names of the towns. From there it's a short walk up to the restaurant on Papststein. Even lit up in the evenings. Continue to Pfaffendorf, park the car and walk to and around (up is too strenuous, I think, but maybe not) the Pfaffenstein mountain - an hour, I think. The most famous sandstone formation is a sort of sandstone needle called Barbarine, about 40 m tall. You could continue the drive from there to Königstein.

As for the three towns - Bautzen is the closest, Görlitz the most interesting IMO. It's hard to decide, I love them all. Zittau has the pretty unique Lenten Clothes. Bautzen has the Stasi prison, the Sorbian museum, the bi-confessional cathedral. Görlitz has the picturesque medieval old town, Holy Sepulchre, Silesian museum ... and much more.